The fish we were shooting were mostly small, hammer handle size gar. I was amazed at the seeming variety of colors and species we shot. One gar would be near orange in color and the very next one almost jet black and about every combination of the two in between.
There were birds too. We'd hum along one side of the river and the lush foliage by the bank would often droop out over the water. As the boat would cruise close to the brush, a bird that must have been a little green Heron would come flapping out. As they cleared the brush they'd lighten their load to gain speed.
It had a way of keeping us on our toes.
Here and there we found sign of the wild hogs in the area. The cover looked perfect for them and the rivers edge provided cooling water and mud. We found several wallows along the way.
You just knew the deer in those parts grew big racks, living unseen in the rank green vegetation of the coastal jungle. Their tracks too were evident at the edge of the water and deep freshly traveled ruts showed passage of many deer up the bank into the tight cover.
Often we'd find one fish and there'd be several in the same area. More than once we all had an arrow in the water and were reeling frantically for a shot at another fish. Just as often we all have arrows in fish and we had to scurry to keep lines from tangling beyond imagination.
Most of the alligators we saw were smallish specimens, though there was one of substantial size. The little ones moved and looked more like lizards while this fella was a chunk. I wouldn't mind shooting just one alligator if I got the chance.
Permit drawings are very competitive and it's a very controled hunt from what I've heard.
Into the night we shot and by 3 a.m. we were getting ready to head back to the dock. The plan was to grab some sleep and switch to a different river in the afternoon.
I can tell ya the truck camper bunk felt pretty good and I barely noticed the rain that came through the rest of the night and into the next morning.
Awaking at mid morning we had a quick discussion of our options. We could switch rivers and try to find one with clearer water or head north and hunt hogs. I could see a twinkle in Jason's eye when Curtis suggested it and made the vote unanimous. We'd head for Curtis lease after first unloading the boat and making a switch of tackle.
During that process we each got a hot shower and some couch time before heading out for pigs.
Just before dark I found myself slipping cautiously into the Texas brush trying to ambush a pig.
My evening went pretty slow. A few mosquito bites and a couple deer sightings. I'd set up a hasty blind near a well worn trail across a sendero. Curtis assured me the place was crawling with hogs.
A half hour before it got too dark to shoot a coon shuffled across the trail upwind of me. I lost sight of him in just a little bit, but felt that his direction of travel would bring him near me. I nocked an arrow and half turned to face where I knew he was.
There seems to be a million coons in Texas and that many racoons is always cause problems. They seemed to do their share of damage to any thing you'd leave out.
Curtis wanted a few thinned off the place and I'd help him if I got a chance.
The little bear did come out of the brush near me, but on my off side and way to close to turn without spooking him. I'd just watch him and see what happened.
It only took a couple of minutes and the little bandit was within a few feet of me. He came slowly and kinda thought something was up, but the empty peanut hulls I'd discarded tempted him mightily.
He'd raise up on his hinds like they do when they're trying to figure out what they're looking at and turn his head from side to side. He never did seem as if he recognized me as trouble and eventually waddled off into the brush from whence he'd come.
Not much to report for the rest of the evening. At least not for me. Jason had a pretty big adventure and gathered in his first and a very nice boar hog. I'm sure he'll tell all about it in TBM, so I won't steal his thunder here.
I had one more oportunity to hunt before the trip would be over and that would be a night hunt.
Topic: Firewood is gathered(C Lamb story) (Read 5545 times)
